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The fun, freedom and opportunity that college life presents has long been a lure for young people. Liberated from parental shackles for the very first time, youths are free to do what they want, when they want to do it. But for many students, the reality of college life is quite different. Young adults are more stressed and unhappy than ever before, and it's no exaggeration to say that US colleges are in the midst of a mental health crisis.

Described as an 'epidemic' that's sweeping across American campuses, the statistics are startling: one in four students are suffering from a diagnosable illness; 70 percent of college counseling directors believe the number of students with severe psychological problems has increased in the past year; and a further 95 percent said the number of students with psychological problems is a growing concern.
Nearly 50% of students say they feel intense anxiety. Image by College Degrees 360.
While depression has long been the main culprit of mental health problems on campus, levels of anxiety have sky-rocketed in recent years to become the number one health concern among students. While nearly one-third of students say they felt depressed during their first year, nearly fifty percent felt intense anxiety to the point that it interfered with their studies and their ability to concentrate.
Social, Financial and Academic Distress
So what is it that's stressing out our students so much? What is it about modern life that is so much harder for this generation of young adults to deal with? And what type of coping mechanisms can help lessen the problem?

Most mental health experts agree that there is no single cause of the mounting anxiety among this age bracket. The most common roots of concerns are academic pressures, financial concerns and more personal worries, which are often linked to the rise of social media - the new pressure to be available 24/7 and the often mistaken belief that everyone else is having more fun and achieving much more than you.

A shift in parenting attitudes over the years is also said to be a contributing factor; the prevalence of 'helicopter parents' who hover overprotectively and overindulgently around their children has meant many young people today lack the independence and resilience of previous generations. This has an effect on their ability to handle strain and develop effective coping mechanisms.

"[Many young people] can't tolerate discomfort or having to struggle," says Dr. Dan Jones, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Appalachian State University. "A primary symptom is worrying, and they don't have the ability to soothe themselves."
Changing the Mental Health Stigma
Being coddled by overbearing parents to the point where independence is hindered also affects students' abilities to handle their finances, as well as deal with personal problems. Financial distress is extensively associated with depression and anxiety: 21 percent of students who described a high level of financial anxiety also described high levels of depressive symptoms. On the other hand, only 3 percent of students who described low levels of financial anxiety described a high level of depressive symptoms

Interestingly, the rise in the number of students suffering from anxiety isn't just due to an increase in stressors or pressures; it is also due to the gradual erosion of stigma around mental health problems. College counseling centers are reporting record numbers of visits and students are more likely to ask for help than ever before, which naturally means the number of students officially recorded as suffering from mental health problems will rise too.

Further, previously taboo issues like substance abuse are now discussed more openly than in preceding years, affecting more people than you may think: studies by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have found that 29% of college students struggle with substance abuse each year. Being more open about these issues means students do feel supported. They ask for assistance when needed and learn important coping strategies, a former addict and current student Jennifer states:

"Living with non-sober students, I was aware that I was in quite a precarious position. Because I'd been open about my addiction with my college, I already had a system where I checked in with a college counselor twice a month at least. It was really helpful in keeping me feeling confident that I was coping, even when things became stressful or my workload increased.
Holistic Healing
"In the past, I had a habit of closing my eyes to how much things were affecting me until it overwhelmed me. Feeling as though you're being overcautious can be annoying, but think about the alternative - not realizing you're struggling until it's too late and you hit rock bottom. I'd really urge other students to set up meetings with a professional, at least once a month."

Beyond the professional help that's being offered on campuses, many colleges are taking other steps to lift their students' spirits. At UCLA, specially designed sleep pods have been positioned around campus so that stressed, tired students can nap as needed and recover from the most damaging effects of sleep deprivation. Getting enough sleep is crucial for boosting alertness, productivity and happiness; studies have shown that even a 40 minute nap results in a 34 percent performance increase and a 100 percent increase in attentiveness.

Holistic methods are also being employed by many universities across the country to reduce the number of students who feel stressed and fearful. This year, a new wellness center opened up at Cal State Northridge to provide acupuncture, massage and yoga therapy for its students. Meditation - known to reduce stress and enhance peace of mind - is also being promoted throughout many universities.

Mental health has been a skeleton in our country's closet for too long. Now, new information and recent studies have rattled the cage door, we can start to give our young people the support they so desperately need.

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At Breaking Point: Why Are Young People More Stressed Than Ever?

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The fun, freedom and opportunity that college life presents has long been a lure for young people. Liberated from parental shackles for the very first time, youths are free to do what they want, when they want to do it. But for many students, the reality of college life is quite different.

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American Psychological Association Survey Shows Teen Stress Rivals That of Adults

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Stress in America™ survey finds similar patterns of unhealthy behavior in teens and adults, especially during school year.

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Are Schools Putting Too Much Stress On Students?

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Are Schools Putting Too Much Stress On Students? For Spackenkill's Communications II Course

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Stress is mostly psychological in nature. If you are mentally prepared for something, it is hardly a stress. However, any external action can become a stress if that is unwanted and undesirable.

Around thirty years ago, we hardly had much at home. There was no TV, no Fridge, no Internet, no AC and no Cars for most of us. Our parents earned little to pamper us. We were brought up in scarcity and we got used to it. We never expected much from life and hence our life had less stress.

Some people would say that the modern generation is stressed because the competition is much more than what their earlier generation faced.

This is also only a part truth.

While I agree that the competition is more, but it is also a fact that the opportunities have also gone many fold. The numbers of jobs offered today are at least 20-30 times more than what were available 30 years ago though the population has barely doubled in India. It was so difficult to get into engineering around 30 years ago when the entire UP with a population of around 20 Crores people had less than 2000 seats per annum. Today a single institution like VIT University admits more than 4000 students per year and all of them get a job.

The young adults are never satisfied because they now compare themselves with the kids of developed countries and feel dissatisfied. They hardly appreciate what their previous generation had and how much better their lives have become.

The fun, freedom and opportunity that college life presents has long been a lure for young people. Liberated from parental shackles for the very first time, youths are free to do what they want, when they want to do it. But for many students, the reality of college life is quite different. Young adults are more stressed and unhappy than ever before, and it's no exaggeration to say that US colleges are in the midst of a mental health crisis.

Described as an 'epidemic' that's sweeping across American campuses, the statistics are startling: one in four students are suffering from a diagnosable illness; 70 percent of college counseling directors believe the number of students with severe psychological problems has increased in the past year; and a further 95 percent said the number of students with psychological problems is a growing concern.

While depression has long been the main culprit of mental health problems on campus, levels of anxiety have sky-rocketed in recent years to become the number one health concern among students. While nearly one-third of students say they felt depressed during their first year, nearly fifty percent felt intense anxiety to the point that it interfered with their studies and their ability to concentrate.

So what is it that's stressing out our students so much? What is it about modern life that is so much harder for this generation of young adults to deal with? And what type of coping mechanisms can help lessen the problem?
Social, Financial and Academic Distress
Most mental health experts agree that there is no single cause of the mounting anxiety amongst this age bracket. The most common roots of concerns are: a general break down of the family structure as a whole - due to parents focusing rather on their own personal careers than family interests resulting in divorce, leading teens to feel lost and confused, with their roots, family values and structure, shaken to the very core - they end up wondering what life is really all about anyway lose purpose and direction in life. There is also the reality of academic pressures, financial concerns and more personal worries, which are often linked to the rise of social media (internet, face book and twitter) - the new pressure to be available 24/7 and the often mistaken belief that everyone else is having more fun and achieving much more than you.

A shift in parenting attitudes over the years is also said to be a contributing factor; the prevalence of 'helicopter parents' who hover overprotectively and overindulgently around their children has meant many young people today lack the independence and resilience of previous generations. This has an effect on their ability to handle strain and develop effective coping mechanisms"[Many young people] can't tolerate discomfort or having to struggle," says Dr. Dan Jones, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Appalachian State University. "A primary symptom is worrying, and they don't have the ability to soothe themselves."

Being coddled by overbearing parents to the point where independence is hindered also affects students' abilities to handle their finances, as well as deal with personal problems. Financial distress is extensively associated with depression and anxiety: 21 percent of students who described a high level of financial anxiety also described high levels of depressive symptoms. On the other hand, only 3 percent of students who described low levels of financial anxiety described a high level of depressive symptoms

Alarmingly, as a result, studies by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have found that 89% of college students struggle with substance abuse each year.

Guys don't forget I do personal re-education nutrition programs, emotional counselling, core exercise training & exercise advice,corporate training and lectures on the brain/body connection, besides having recently started an Au Pair, Tutor, Domestic & Care Giver, Baby- House & Pet Sitting Company - for your benefit: to serve you as best as I can - the Community working together to find work & purpose & serve one another as best as they can.

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Why are young adults more stressed out today than they were thirty years ago?

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Stress is mostly psychological in nature. If you are mentally prepared for something, it is hardly a stress.

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Why are college students so stressed out?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAvrNLsgl4c

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How Homework Stress is Impacting Teen Mental Health | WebMD

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https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/teens-more-stressed-out-adults-survey-shows-n26921